Scottish Executive

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is currently available to staff employed by government agencies in how to deal with people suffering from domestic abuse and whether any such staff training is compulsory.

Ms Margaret Curran: Workplace polices is one of the areas to be looked at by the prevention working group established by the National Group to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland. The group is expected to report to the National Group in May.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has held with UKRep since July 1999.

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits it has received from UKRep since July 1999 and how many members of UKRep were present during each visit.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is in regular contact with the staff of UKRep. Information quantifying the number of meetings, visits or other contacts could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times its ministers have requested to speak at meetings of the Council of Ministers and how many times permission was granted since July 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: Discussions on the roles of members of the UK delegation to a meeting of the Council of Ministers are normally conducted on a confidential basis.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have been requested to take the lead on behalf of the United Kingdom at meetings of the Council of Ministers since July 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: Discussions on the composition of UK delegations to meetings of the Council of Ministers are normally conducted on a confidential basis. For a list of council meetings at which a Scottish minister led for the UK, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21028 on 28 January 2002.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings of the EU Council of Ministers have been attended by its ministers since March 2000, expressed also as a percentage of the overall total of meetings held.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in the following table. This represents 12.8% of all council meetings held during that period. Scotland is represented at all council meetings as part of the United Kingdom.

  


Start Date 
  

End Date 
  

Council 
  

Minister 
  



17/03/2000 
  

18/03/2000 
  

Informal Council for Ministers of Lifelong Learning (Portugal) 
  

Nicol Stephen 
  



20/03/2000 
  

20/03/2000 
  

Agriculture Council (Brussels) 
  

Ross Finnie 
  



08/06/2000 
  

08/06/2000 
  

Education Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Nicol Stephen 
  



16/06/2000 
  

16/06/2000 
  

Fisheries Council (Luxembourg) 
  

John Home Robertson 
  



22/06/2000 
  

22/06/2000 
  

Environment Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Sarah Boyack 
  



17/11/2000 
  

17/11/2000 
  

Fisheries Council (Brussels) 
  

Rhona Brankin 
  



20/11/2000 
  

20/11/2000 
  

Agriculture Council (Brussels) 
  

Ross Finnie 
  



30/11/2000 
  

30/11/2000 
  

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Brussels) 
  

Jim Wallace 
  



14/12/2000 
  

15/12/2000 
  

Fisheries Council (Brussels) 
  

Rhona Brankin 
  



12/02/2001 
  

12/02/2001 
  

Education and Youth Council (Brussels) 
  

Nicol Stephen 
  



26/02/2001 
  

26/02/2001 
  

Agriculture Council (Brussels) 
  

Ross Finnie 
  



08/03/2001 
  

08/03/2001 
  

Environment Council (Brussels) 
  

Sam Galbraith 
  



24/04/2001 
  

24/04/2001 
  

Agriculture Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Ross Finnie 
  



25/04/2001 
  

25/04/2001 
  

Fisheries Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Rhona Brankin 
  



04/06/2001 
  

04/06/2001 
  

Health Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Susan Deacon 
  



18/06/2001 
  

18/06/2001 
  

Fisheries Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Rhona Brankin 
  



28/06/2001 
  

28/06/2001 
  

Transport Council (Luxembourg) 
  

Sarah Boyack 
  



13/07/2001 
  

13/07/2001 
  

Informal Council on Regional Policy (Namur) 
  

Angus MacKay 
  



16/11/2001 
  

16/11/2001 
  

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Brussels) 
  

Jim Wallace 
  



20/11/2001 
  

20/11/2001 
  

Agriculture Council (Brussels) 
  

Ross Finnie 
  



17/12/2001 
  

18/12/2001 
  

Fisheries Council (Brussels) 
  

Ross Finnie

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official speeches have been made outwith the Parliament in (a) Scotland and (b) elsewhere concerning Europe and external relations by (i) the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice and (ii) former ministers with responsibility for Europe and external relations; what the subject matter of any such speech was; where any such speeches were delivered, and whether dates and locations have been arranged for any future speeches.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish ministers have made speeches in full or in part concerning Europe and external relations on a very wide range of occasions. Major speeches outwith Parliament concentrating on Europe and external relations have included those listed in the following table:

  


Date 
  

Minister 
  

Subject 
  

Location 
  



08/12/1999 
  

Donald Dewar 
  

William & Mary Lecture - Scotland and Europe 
  

Leiden, Netherlands 
  



22/11/2000 
  

Jim Wallace 
  

Globalisation and Legislative Regions 
  

Barcelona, Spain 
  



04/12/2000 
  

Jack McConnell 
  

Scotland in Europe 
  

Centre for Scottish Public Policy, Edinburgh 
  



06/04/2001 
  

Henry McLeish 
  

Scotland and the US 
  

Washington Press Club, USA 
  



09/05/2001 
  

Jack McConnell 
  

EU Enlargement 
  

Edinburgh 
  



24/09/2001 
  

Jack McConnell 
  

Jean Monnet Centre Conference – Future of Europe 
  

Edinburgh 
  



09/10/2001 
  

Jack McConnell 
  

Scotland Week – Future of Europe 
  

Brussels 
  



  Ministers will continue to give such speeches at a range of events. I will set out the Executive’s current priorities on external relations in a forthcoming appearance before the European Committee, the date of which is to be arranged.

European Union

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21028 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 January 2002, whether any of its representatives led on topics of major interest to Scotland at meetings of the EU Council before 8 June 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21028 on 28 January 2002.

European Union

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21028 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 January 2002, which topics each of the ministers spoke to when they led the UK delegation at the EU Council of Ministers on 8 June 2000, 12 February 2001 and 4 June 2001.

Mr Jim Wallace: The detail of exchanges within EU Council of Ministers meetings is confidential. The agenda and conclusions of the relevant meetings are available on the Europa website, www.europa.eu.int .

External Relations

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the external relations budget was, and how many civil servants were engaged in matters relating to external relations, in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: A very wide range of posts in the Executive involve responsibility for some aspect of external relations work. It is not possible therefore to quantify the number of civil servants engaged in matters relating to external relations at any given time, nor to identify a specific budget for external relations work.

External Relations

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its policy on external relations.

Mr Jim Wallace: I propose to present a statement of the Executive’s priorities for external relations at the time of my forthcoming appearance before the European Committee, the date of which is to be confirmed.

External Relations

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official visits have been undertaken outwith Scotland by (a) the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice in relation to his responsibility for external relations and the development and implementation of links with Europe and (b) the former ministers with responsibility for Europe and external affairs since July 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have not yet undertaken a visit overseas in relation to my responsibility for external relations. The following table lists visits undertaken by the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs, Mr Jack McConnell, between November 2000 and November 2001, not including visits relating to education business:

  


Date of visit 
  

End date 
  

Country 
  

Purpose 
  



28/01/2001 
  
 

Belgium 
  

Meeting the UK Permanent Representative to the EU and the 
  Swedish Representative Office 
  



15/02/2001 
  

17/02/2001 
  

France 
  

Meeting to prepare for the next CLRAE Conference of Presidents 
  in November 
  



16/03/2001 
  
 

Belgium 
  

Attendance at Governance Hearing 
  



24/04/2001 
  

26/04/2001 
  

Poland 
  

Address at British Council conference "Borders and 
  their impact on European citizens" 
  



29/05/2001 
  
 

France 
  

CLRAE: Regional chamber meeting and cultural and education 
  sub-committee meetings 
  



04/09/2001 
  
 

France 
  

Attendance at CLRAE Working Group 
  



05/10/2001 
  

08/10/2001 
  

Germany 
  

Meeting with ministerial counterparts and visits to the 
  Bavarian and North Rhine Westphalia Parliaments 
  



09/10/2001 
  

10/10/2001 
  

Belgium 
  

A range of Scotland-themed events in Brussels

Football

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why, after several refusals to do so previously, it has abandoned its defence in respect of the appeal by Ayr United Football Club regarding the rejection of the club’s original stadium planning application.

Ms Margaret Curran: Having considered the matter fully, the Scottish ministers concluded that the appropriate course of action would be to concede the appeal on the single ground relating to an implied disagreement with one of the reporters' findings of fact.

Freedom of Information

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22235 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 February 2002, whether the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill will have an effect in allowing access to the correspondence between it and Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Department of Work and Pensions and any other individuals or departments, in connection with the loss of Attendance Allowance to Scottish pensioners resulting from the implementation of free personal and nursing care for pensioners.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is not possible to anticipate decisions about specific requests for information that would be made under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill, once enacted. Such considerations will be made on a case-by-case basis. The Bill provides a right of appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who would be able to determine whether information should be disclosed in the public interest.

Justice

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is currently any requirement for Scene of Crime Officers to photograph a fingerprint on the surface on which it has been found and what safeguards are in place to ensure probity and continuity in the treatment of fingerprint lifts.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are in place to verify the location of a fingerprint in cases where there is a dispute over the provenance of a fingerprint lift.

Mr Jim Wallace: In dealing with fingerprints at a crime scene the presumption is that any marks discovered may be evidential and must be treated accordingly. All actions involving the processing of fingerprint lifts and impressions must therefore be fully documented and audited and Scenes of Crime Officers must be in a position to be able to recall the precise location of any mark found. Current practice allows this to be done by making contemporaneous notes, a sketch or photograph of the location.

Ministers

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits it has received from overseas governments since July 1999 and which ministers met each delegation.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is involved in visits to Scotland by representatives of overseas governments on an extremely regular basis. A total number of visits since July 1999, including details of which ministers were involved, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19197 by Iain Gray on 16 November 2001, what the total cost was to it of the tender process in respect of HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  SPS did not collect tender cost data in respect of the contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock. Tender costs are not separately identified in any Scottish Prison Service contract.

Public Appointments

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the political affiliation was of each of the applicants who put their names forward to be Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies when such vacancies have been advertised in each of the past three years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Assessors have been appointed twice during the past three years. In 2000, the Minister for Finance invited nominations from the Conservative and Scottish National Parties by writing to their parliamentary spokesmen. He also asked the Convenor of the Equal Opportunities Committee for nominations. Decisions were announced by means of an answer to written question S1W-13732 on 1 March 2001. A news release was also issued on the same date.

  In 2001, a system along the lines outlined in the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice was used. Nominations were invited from a wide group of organisations and individuals, including the Convenors of the Parliament’s subject committees. Of the 27 applications received, 11 declared having undertaken political activities on behalf of the Labour Party and one on behalf of the SNP. The remaining 15 applicants had not undertaken any political activities.

  Details of an individual’s political affiliations are not recorded because it would be inappropriate for an individual’s voting preferences to be known.

Public Appointments

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any organisations that responded to any request for nominations for the 12 new Independent Assessor posts.

Mr Andy Kerr: Although none of the organisations approached submitted nominations, we understand that individuals were notified that a competition to fill these vacancies was underway. The range of applicants in terms of their backgrounds and geographical locations indicate that a large constituency of people were alerted to these vacancies. The applicants who applied for the Independent Assessor posts did so on their own behalf.

Public Appointments

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister had in either the appointment, or authorisation of the appointment, of the 12 new Independent Assessors.

Mr Andy Kerr: Under the terms of the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister must be consulted about all major appointments and are bound equally by the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, as are all ministers.

Public Sector Staff

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support front line public sector workers, such as police and social workers, who are assaulted or threatened at work.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has provided backing for the Association of Directors of Social Work in launching and developing their programme of Support for Front-line staff. One of the programme’s primary aims is to improve information about assaults or threats at work and the responses by local authorities to these.

  The responsibility for the occupational health and safety of police officers rests with their respective Chief Constable, not the Scottish Executive.

  However, the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 contains provision for a penalty not exceeding £2,500 and/or three months imprisonment for any person who assaults a police officer in the execution of his duty. For a second offence within a two-year span, a period of imprisonment not exceeding nine months and/or a fine not exceeding £5,000 is applicable.

Rail Network

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed date is for work to start on the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link and when it will become operational.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect Railtrack pulling out of the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link will have on the competency of the British Railways (No. 3) Order Confirmation Act 1994.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the powers under the British Railways (No. 3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 can and will be transferred to Strathclyde Passenger Transport.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is keen to see the Larkhall-Milngavie project taken forward. That is why we have continued to support Strathclyde Passenger Transport, following Railtrack’s announcement that it was withdrawing its support last December, to try and identify practical ways to keep this scheme moving forward.

  There are a number of complex technical and legal matters to consider before work can start on the rail link. We are continuing to press both Railtrack and the Strategic Rail Authority to take this project forward. The outcome of the various discussions will determine the way that the project will be managed and a possible timetable for delivering the rail link.

  The provisions of the British Railways (No. 3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 remain in force until amended or repealed.

Water Charges

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact on voluntary arts organisations of its proposals to remove water charges relief for charities and voluntary organisations and any consequential impact on achieving the objectives of its National Cultural Strategy.

Allan Wilson: No specific assessment has been carried out for this purpose. The Executive has set out an exemption scheme, to target small and locally funded organisations, which will provide that charitable organisations currently receiving relief from water charges with an income of less than £50,000 per annum will receive 100% relief from water charges. There will also be a transitional hardship fund whose purpose will be to assist those with incomes above the threshold, but who suffered significantly as a result of having their relief withdrawn. It will have a budget of £1 million over the next two years. Consequently, we have no reason to believe that phased withdrawal of water charges relief from those voluntary arts organisations currently in receipt of such relief will impact adversely on achieving the objectives of the National Cultural Strategy.

Water Charges

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of the five priority areas identified by the First Minister in respect of potential spending decisions, what assessment it has made of any impact of phasing out water charges relief for charities and voluntary organisations on (a) employment, (b) health, (c) education, (d) crime and (e) transport.

Allan Wilson: No specific assessment has been carried out for this purpose. The Executive has set out an exemption scheme, to target small and locally funded organisations, which will provide that charitable organisations currently receiving relief from water charges with an income of less than £50,000 per annum will receive 100% relief from water charges. There will also be a transitional hardship fund whose purpose will be to assist those with incomes above the threshold, but who suffered significantly as a result of having their relief withdrawn. It will have a budget of £1 million over the next two years. We have no reason to believe, therefore, that there will be any adverse effect on the stated Executive policy priorities, consequent upon the phased withdrawal of water charge relief for those voluntary and charitable organisations presently in receipt of such relief.

Water Charges

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any other bodies on its behalf, have conducted any assessment of any job losses expected to arise from its proposal to withdraw water charges relief for charities and voluntary organisations.

Allan Wilson: No specific assessment has been carried out for this purpose. The Executive has set out an exemption scheme, to target small and locally funded organisations, which will provide that charitable organisations currently receiving relief from water charges with an income of less than £50,000 per annum will receive 100% relief from water charges. There will also be a transitional hardship fund whose purpose will be to assist those with incomes above the threshold, but who suffered significantly as a result of having their relief withdrawn. It will have a budget of £1 million over the next two years. Consequently, we have no reason to believe any job losses will arise from the phased withdrawal of water charges relief from those charities and voluntary organisations presently in receipt of that relief.